Amusement-cards.



F. M. STANGER.

AMUSEMENT CARDS.

APPLlCATION FILED OCT. 31. 1916. 1,246,796. 7 Patented N0v.13, 1917.

2 SHEETSSNEET F. M. STANGER.

AMUSEMENT CARDS. APPLICATION mas ocnjsr. me.

1 346,796 Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

' 2 sums-saw 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFEQFA.

FRANK M. STANGER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AMUSEMENT-CARDS.

Application filed Qctober 31, 1916.

" all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK M. S'ran'enn, citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colo rado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement-Cards; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in amusement apparatus and pertains more particularly to the provision of a novel form of apparatus in which a number of cards rather than blocks are used for building purposes.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of an amusement apparatus of the class above referred to in which a large number of cards are furnished and are adapted to be set up on the floor, table or other plane surface, so as to form the outlines of different figures and designs. The cards are bent or folded once longitudinally and are then stood on end in such manner that each card bears a definite relation with each preceding or following card. It is the object of the apparatus to so set up the cards that when they have all been used in the formation of a design there will be a single master or key card which if it is knocked over will cause every other card in the scheme to fall, the tumbling down of the cards taking place successively from the master card outwardly in different directions according to the particular configuration of the design followed in building the original outlines. Where a single row or line of cards branches out into two or more radiating lines specially formed switch cards are interposed.

\Vhile the apparatus is designed primarily as an amusement device and in that respect somewhat resembles the various kinds of building blocks, it is obvious that without departing from the spirit of the invention, it may be used for advertising purposes. For example the cards may be set up so as to spell the name of a commercial firm or the trade name of the goods being advertised. In such case mechanical means could be provided for the purpose of raising the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Serial No. 128,773.

fallen cards to their upright position. The particular wave motion produced as the cards fall over commencing at a given point and radiating outwardly in curved streams, is not only unique but fascinates the observer and holds his attention while he tries to reason the cause from the effect. By having each card of the set-identical in size and shape with every other card and then placing them in such position that they will all. overlap one another as they fall from the vertical or upright position to the horizontal, one is enabled to gather up the fallen cards with surprising rapidity for as the cards lie overlapping one another on the floor they can be quickly and easily picked up by simply running the forefinger of one hand in the opening formed by the. fold of the lowermost card and pushing the line along whereupon all the cards will telescope and build up a compact nest clearing up the entire row in practically one sweeping movement.

Other objects and possibilities of the invention. will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention. A better understanding of the invention will. be

had as the description is proceeded with, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the cards used in playing the game.

Fig. 2- is a like view of one of. the switch .cards. 7

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another form of switch card.

F 1g. 4: 1s a diagrammatic v1ew illustrating the manner in which the cards are set on end the reference character 5. 1 The card consists of a single rectangular piece of comparatively stifi material bent or folded longitu dinally along its central line. The cards may be made of any desirable material as purpose.

sheet metal or paste board, the main requirement being that they should possess sufficient weight to fall over easily when pushed out of their vertical position of equilibrium. Fig. 2 illustrates one form of switch card 6 which is formed of the same material and comprises a rectangular sheet folded along three parallel longitudinally running lines so as to present four instead of two vertical faces. Still a dilferent form of switch card 7 shown in Fig. 3, having seren different faces instead of four.

referring to Figs. l and 5 a design is taere shown illustrating one manner in which the apparatus maybe used. The cards are here arranged in a design resembling in general appearance the outline of a tree. It will be understood that the particular design may be varied at will and that guidecharts having different designs marked thereon may be furnished for that The cards are stood on edge so as to assume a vertical position onthe table or floor. They are so placed in relation to each other that the apex-or central creased edge of one is slightly back of and on a line with the corresponding central crease of the preceding card. In Fig. 4: the part of the design which represents the trunk of the tree is formed of a single straight'row of cards placed one behind the other. ll he're" the two lowermostbranches B, B join the trunk, itis necessary toemploy one of theswitch cards 6 the central portion of which serves the function of an ordinary card for the straight line T of the trunk while the two outer faces 8 act as starting points for the branches B, B. In exactlythe same manner the larger switchboard 7 is used farther up the design where four branches'Q'CC, C are shown two on either side of the tree trunk T.

After the-cards have been completely set n as shown in Fi 4 they ma be all P e, Y

knocked down by simply tipping the first card 5 at the base of the trunk, backward againstthe others. The weight of the falling cards upon those standing issuliicienttO "carry them down too and the result is asweeping motionstarting with the card 5 at the lower end of the design and running backwardly then outin every direction followingthe outlines of the branches. It will be seen that as the switch card (3 falls back against the cards comprising the trunk T and branches B, B, these cards will be carried down under the combined weight of those already fallen and "fallin T he other switch 'cards throughout the scheme operate illusin exactly the same manner. Fig. o

trates the design as outlined by the card after they have all been upset or knocked down.

Now in order to pick up the cards it is only necessary to insert the forefinger of one hand under the opening at the lower side of the foremost card of any row, then push or slide'the finger along in the direction of the length of the cards whereupon the cards, being in overlapped relation one to another will-pileupupon the bottom card and a nest will be quickly and rcadily forined including all'the cards-comprising any particular row. The and rapidity with which'the fallen cards can lie-assembled and gathered up is an important feature'of the game and one which will interest and'amuse youn people.

The apparatus consists of any convenient number of cards and switch cards and the number and variety of designs which can be laid out is practically Without limit.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

l. An arrangement-ofthe 'class described comprising a plurality of rectangular cards folded longitudinally along their central line, and a plurality of switch cards each comprising a card folded to present a plurality or" rectangular faces-at difierent anglesysaid cardsandswitch cards-adapted to be set up on end and spaced to'form a main row and other rows branching out therefrom in 'diflerent' directions, "certain of "the faces of the said'switch cards adapted to-be set up adjacent the cards 'formii-ig the main row, 'vhilethe'other faces are adapted to be set up adjacent the ca'rdsforming the branch rows, the p'osition'of the several cards in relation-to each otherbeing'such that when the first'c'ard-is tipped oven-all the othercard's will fall successively in'the samedirectiona Copies of this patent maybe obtainedfor fite'cents eachyby addrcs'si-ng the' comniissione'r arratent WashingtomD. C. 

